Watch Dogs links, the TARDIS and AC movie references. Here’s the best Easter eggs in Assassin’s Creed Origins so far

Spoilers! Please stop if you haven’t played through the story of Assassin’s Creed Origins.

The Egypt of Assassin’s Creed Origins is packed with things to do, animals to slaughter, and people to prod very hard in the throat with a hidden blade. Tombs wait for you to uncover their secrets and the various regions are brimming with hidden secrets. Of course then there are plenty of lovely nods to other movies and TV and true Inception levels of Ubisoft-osity. Here are the 11 best Assassin’s Creed Origins Easter eggs I’ve seen so far.

1. There is a very clear link to Watch Dogs

It’s widely known that the Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs' universes are linked. We’ve found Abstergo employees in Watch Dogs and there’s even a document in Black Flag about the nefarious Bloom corporation. Now one piece of easter egg-osity has brought the connection full circle. You might remember a criminal convoy mission in the original Watch Dogs called Requiscat in Pace. It saw Aiden Pearce going to take out Olivier Garneau, the chief creative officer of Abstergo Entertainment. Login to Layla Hassan’s laptop in the present day in AC Origins and you’ll find a folder about him and actual screenshots of Olivier being shot down by someone in a very recognisable baseball cap and scarf… Let’s just not think about the fact that we stole files from a fictional version of Ubisoft that revealed a new real game in Watch Dogs 2…

2. That movie claw Animus is definitely canon

In case you were wondering if the Assassin’s Creed movie is in the same world as Bayek and co, Origins confirms the official links between the two. Not only is the distinct claw Animus from the movie mentioned, it turns out that present day hero Layla Hassan actually designed it. In a series of emails on her laptop, you can see a conversation between Layla and Sophia Rikkin, played by Marion Cotillard in the movie about the idea. Initially Sophia doesn’t like it but Layla’s design even make some kind of logical crazy sense.

“You want to be able to give the subject some leeway, some sense of freedom and yet allow the core of the machine to stay connected no matter what kind of crazy gymnastics your Subject is performing.”

Just confirming the canon, there is also a folder in Layla’s computer about Alan Rikkin who was picked off by Michael Fassbender’s Callum Lynch at the end of the movie. Layla doesn’t know exactly what happened but we know it wasn’t a gas leak as suggested by The Channel in the ‘Gone Files’ folder. There’s also a mail sending Layla’s sympathies to Sophia about her father.

3. Senu can do a barrel roll

A little more light hearted is the fact that when you take to the skies with your Bonelli’s Eagle, Senu, she can do a barrel roll. There you are taking in Egypt from the skies, enjoying the view and all you have to do is spin your left analogue stick fast and Senu will happily turn into a little feathery bullet before shaking her head as if she’s dizzy. D’awww. Better get back to scoping out animals to turn into tool belts again.

4. The Doctor has landed

Now here’s something for fans of the time lord. Dive into the water on the east side of Letopolis in Sapi-Res Nome and you’ll find a fascinating relic from the future - or is it the past? There’s no mistaking the Doctor’s TARDIS here on the river bed as it looms out of the dark, even if it has been turned to stone and there are no markings saying it’s a police box. Hilariously, there’s even a pair of legs sticking out. I have it on good authority that it’s impossible to have the TARDIS land on you accidentally due to its sentience, so who is this person who was clearly trying to escape in the wondrous multidimensional time hopper. Why did they get stuck in the door? Regardless, it’s a ridiculously fun find to snap some pictures with.

5. You can change Bayek’s hair and beard

Everyone who immediately missed Bayek’s hair after Aya shaved it off in Alexandria can rejoice. There’s a set of secret buttons in the gear screen that can bring back both his hair and his beard or just one, if you’re that way inclined. Head into your gear screen and press your L2 (or left trigger) and triangle (or Y) to get his hair back, and then do the same with R2 (or your right trigger) to bring back that luscious beard. Pop down Bayek’s hood and you can wander Egypt as hairy or as bald as you please.

6. Is that… bugs?

Just like the rest of us, it turns out that if you send Bayek into the desert on foot, he’ll get a bit warm and start to see some crazy things. Get off your camel and go for a wander and, after a while, you’ll be able to hear Bayek’s heart pounding as he’s overwhelmed by the temperature of the desert and then… is that a fish flapping there on the sand? The fish is the least of your worries though as not long after, you’ll hear a clap of thunder, a black cloud appears a bugs start tumbling from the sky all around you. Lovely. Thanks for the nightmares, Ubi. Oh, at least you’ll get a trophy for the experience.

7. You can get a flaming sword

I won’t spoil a certain part of the story but the result is the fact that you get a yellow legendary weapon that’s actually on fire. Unsheath this flaming sword and you’ll make short work of everything that comes in your path. Combine this with the double fire damage ability and everything will die a very flamey death. Just a note though. Don’t release prisoners from wooden cages while it’s equipped. You’ll quickly get the ‘Medjay didn’t harm innocent civilians’ message and the smell of smoky bacon on the air. Oh God.

8. You can pet the cats

As if to counter the last point, Assassin’s Creed Origins actually lets you pat your feline friends that rock up while you’re standing still. Things get ridiculously adorable when you crouch down next to a cat and Bayek automatically starts patting them. A perfect photo opportunity. It’s not long before you’re next level crazy Cat Assassin and surrounded by feline friends. Why go and kill people when you can just sit here surrounded by adoring furry creatures? Sadly patting doesn’t work for dogs or any other animal in the game who probably wants to eat you.

9. That camel is fully mocapped

So full historical accuracy, 100% realistic Giza Plateau and a completely realistic ancient Egypt? Of course Ubi Montreal couldn’t resist getting a proper camel in there. If you’ve wondered why your camel has that very distinct wobble and smile, it’s all because it was actually fully motion captured. Tweeted out by Assassins Product Marketing Manager EscoBlades, this camel was actually fully mocapped to bring you the delights of your favourite mount. Oh, and yes, when nature calls? Your camel answers.

10. There’s an Indiana Jones reference

If you’ve been making your way through tombs and almost dropping your controller in fright as cobras decide to attack as you pass, it turns out that Bayek is just as scared as you. Enter one tomb just full of the wriggling fiends, and our new favourite Assassin utters Indiana Jones infamous line, “Why did it have to be snakes?!” Exactly. Why indeed, Bayek?

11. What is this, Assassin’s Creed Orgy-ins?

And finally, of course Ancient Egypt has a mature attitude to sex in this most civilised of worlds. Wander past the brothel in Heraklion in Heraklion nome and you’ll hear some very distinctive noises coming from an upstairs room. Clamber on up like an interested Assassin and if you peer through this window like a regular Peeping Tom, you can get the visuals to go with your audio. Like a paparazzi stalker, your photo mode’s zoom function will come in rather handy here to see the explicit art on the walls and the very busy people on the floor. I’m sure this wasn’t what Ubi was thinking about when it added the incredible photo mode. Yeah. Enjoy feels like the wrong word…